Denver travels first. Led by a great Nikola Jokic (32 pts, 21 rbs, 10 pds) and a no less brilliant Jamal Murray (34 pts, 10 rbs, 10 pds), the Nuggets won on the Miami floor (94-109) last night, in the third game of the 2023 NBA Finals. They now lead 2-1 in the series, heading into the fourth inning on Friday, also in Florida. Under the eyes of football stars Neymar Jr (PSG) and Paul Pogba (Juventus), Denver took the reins in the third quarter and did not let go thereafter. 28 points for Jimmy Butler and a big double-double to credit to Bam Adebayo (22 pts, 17 rbs), awkward (7/21). An evil that did not touch only him in the ranks of the Heat, with a nasty 3 of 17 cumulative shots for the starting back line Vincent/Strus.
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The first period is quite simple, with small "runs" on both sides, intensity, rhythm and stars at the rendezvous. At the break, already 14 points for Butler and Adebayo in double-double to 13 points and 10 rebounds – despite a suspicious skill at 5/12 – on the Miami side, not to mention Caleb Martin's hot shot and his 8 points in a row in the second quarter. For the Nuggets, 20 points from Murray and Jokic in the oven and at the mill with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists. Note the surprise of the leader on the Denver side, with coach Malone who pulled Reggie Jackson out of his hat, he who had not played since the Lakers. 1 minute 20, for form. In the end, no more than five points difference on either side. And it is at +5 that the Colorado players returned to the locker room (24-24 end 1st QT, 48-53 MT), after a foul well sold by the "Joker". Miami shot under 40% and Denver pounded the circle at leisure.
Miami without a solution when returning from the locker room
But the Denver team that recited its basketball around the Jokic / Murray tandem at the resumption (48-59), with a big domination in offensive rebounds and Gordon who tore away (57-70). Unable to close the paint (60 points in the racket for Denver in the end) and confusing speed and rush in attack, the Heat on the verge of breaking (63-82). Butler and his team were doing well, trailing by just 14 points at the start of the final 12 minutes (68-82). "In the last two games, they've won the fourth quarter. This time, we have to win it, "claimed coach Malone. Message received, especially by Christian Braun, third leading scorer of his team with his 15 points (72-93). What an impact... Obviously, Miami did not give up, even coming back to -9 after two increases of Duncan Robinson at 1:22 of the end (94-103), while some spectators had already left. After an offensive foul by Murray, the Heat even had a ball to get back to within two possessions! In vain (94-109 final score). And Denver won the final quarter 27-26 by the way.
Next appointment between the two teams on the night of June 9 to 10 (2:30), still in Miami, the future kingdom of a certain Lionel Messi. By then, another final will have started on the basketball planet, that of Betclic Elite. AS Monaco will host Victor Wembanyama's Metropolitans 92 on Saturday (20:30), in the Gaston-Médecin room.
2023 NBA Finals schedule and results:Game 1: Denver-Miami 104-93 Game 2: Denver-Miami 108-111 (both teams tied, 1-1)Game 3: Miami-Denver 94-109 (Denver leads 2-1)Game 4: Miami-Denver, on the night of June 9-10 (2:30)Game 5: Denver-Miami, on the night of June 12-13
(2:
30)
If necessary
Game 6: Miami-Denver, on the night of June 15 to 16 (2:30)Game 7: Denver-Miami, on the night of June 18 to 19 (2h)
